Two kinds of approval
A Florida Product Approval is issued through the state’s Building Commission system and shows that a product meets the Florida Building Code. A Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) is issued by Miami-Dade County’s Product Control office after its own review and testing.
The difference matters because of the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ). The Florida Building Code defines the HVHZ as Miami-Dade and Broward counties, and it applies stricter testing there.
| Miami-Dade NOA | Florida Product Approval | |
|---|---|---|
| Issued by | Miami-Dade County Product Control | Florida Building Commission system |
| Typical use | Miami-Dade and Broward (HVHZ) | The rest of Florida, including Palm Beach |
| Impact testing | HVHZ test protocols TAS 201, 202 and 203 | Florida Building Code test standards for the product’s use |
| Valid in the HVHZ? | Yes, within its listed limits | Only if the approval is specifically for HVHZ use |
What the HVHZ tests check
Products for the HVHZ go through three test protocols. TAS 201 is the large-missile impact test: a 9-pound piece of 2x4 lumber is fired at the door. TAS 202 checks how the door holds up under steady wind pressure, both pushing in and pulling out. TAS 203 repeats thousands of pressure cycles to simulate a long storm after the impact.
A door that passes these tests can still be approved only for certain sizes, configurations and installation methods. The approval lists those limits.
How to read an approval
Ask for the approval number for the exact model and configuration being quoted, then look at these items.
- Product and configuration: single door, double door, with sidelites, inswing or outswing.
- Approved sizes: the maximum width and height for each configuration.
- Design pressure: positive and negative ratings in pounds per square foot. They must meet or exceed what your opening requires.
- Impact rating: whether the product is impact-rated or requires shutters.
- Glass: the glass type the approval covers.
- Installation: the anchors, spacing and substrate (concrete, wood frame) shown in the approval drawings.
- Expiration date: approvals expire and are renewed; check that it is current.
Design pressure depends on your house
The pressure your door must resist is calculated for the specific opening. It depends on the wind speed for your location, the height of the building, how exposed the site is and where the door sits on the wall. A door on a beachfront high-rise faces far higher pressures than the same door on a sheltered single-story house. Your permit application includes this calculation or uses the building department’s tables.
Common mistakes
Most problems at inspection come from small mismatches rather than bad products.
- Relying on a sticker or a sales sheet instead of the approval document itself.
- Ordering a size or configuration outside the approved limits.
- Installing with different anchors or into a different wall type than the approval shows.
- Using an approval that expired or covers a different glass type.
- Assuming a Palm Beach-approved product works in Miami-Dade or Broward.
How to look it up yourself
Miami-Dade publishes its approved products in an online search, and the state publishes Florida Product Approvals the same way. Search by manufacturer or approval number and open the PDF. If you are unsure whether your address is in the HVHZ or what pressure it requires, the local building department can confirm it.
A FEW USEFUL ANSWERS
Before you begin.
Does Palm Beach County require a Miami-Dade NOA?
No. Palm Beach County is outside the HVHZ, so exterior doors there normally use a Florida Product Approval. The door still has to meet the wind requirements for the site.
Is an NOA enough to pass inspection?
The approval covers the product. The inspection also checks that the size, configuration, design pressure and installation match what the approval and permit show.
Do interior doors need an NOA?
No. Product approvals for wind and impact apply to exterior doors and other parts of the building envelope.